Transforming education through targeted professional learning programs and strategic community partnerships delivers measurable improvements in student ownership, academic achievement, and positive school culture.
By connecting innovative classroom practices with robust community resources, we've created a sustainable support network that both empowers educators with research-based strategies and builds inclusive learning environments where students from all backgrounds develop the skills to excel.
Teacher Leadership
- Led transformative training for over 1,500 educators across all 8 modules of Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) while developing 30 expert facilitators to ensure long-term program sustainability
- Established innovative teacher-led coaching model that achieved a 25% improvement in effective literacy instruction practices and created dynamic monthly professional learning communities fostering ongoing educational excellence
- Designed and implemented district-wide literacy professional development featuring collaborative teacher-led workshops, resulting in an exceptional 92% classroom implementation rate
New Teacher and Leader Mentorship
- Provide strategic guidance and educational expertise as an active member of Capital University's Educational Advisory Board and Cotterman Chair Committee
- Collaborate with university leadership to enhance alignment between teacher preparation programs and district needs, elevating curriculum relevance and strengthening vital K-12 and higher education partnerships
- Empower early-career principals as a Bright Principal Mentor through targeted programming focused on instructional leadership, positive school culture development, and administrative excellence
- Support new administrators through complex leadership challenges as an Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators Mentor Principal, delivering customized guidance and effective solutions
Community Partnerships
- Foster impactful strategic alliances with community organizations to advance literacy education throughout the greater Columbus region
- Acquired critical grant funding and established collaborative partnerships with more than 25 community entities including Columbus Metropolitan Library, YMCA, and premier regional universities
- Created the groundbreaking "Village Scholars" initiative bringing hundreds of industry professionals into classrooms to strengthen K-3 foundational reading skills while enhancing mathematical understanding, critical thinking, and financial literacy for grades 4 and above
Parent Engagement
- Crafted innovative family engagement initiatives yielding remarkable results with over 80% of elementary students developing genuine enthusiasm for reading
- Led the transformative At-Home Library initiative that delivered more than 2 million books to 47,000 students, effectively eliminating the "book desert" throughout Columbus City Schools
- Created a comprehensive multilingual family resource center offering materials in 5 languages to effectively support diverse community needs and learning environments
- Launched the successful "Reading Buddies" program delivering personalized tutoring and mentorship to more than 800 third-grade students, improving literacy outcomes
Illuminating Potential Beyond the Classroom, May 2025
"Great teachers are spotlights who see talent in students before they see it in themselves — special gifts that might stay hidden under self-doubt."
Inside CCS: Transformative Teaching Podcast
Curated by Dr. Todd Walker, Teacher Appreciation Week
Transformative Approaches to Adult Professional Development
Research-Based Methodologies
Implementing evidence-based instructional approaches that empower adult learners through collaborative problem-solving, authentic experiential learning, and structured reflective practice
LETRS Professional Learning
Providing comprehensive Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) certification to every administrator, instructional staff member, and support personnel across the district
Differentiated Learning Pathways
Designing flexible professional development pathways that honor the diverse learning preferences, professional backgrounds, and lived experiences of our educational community
Curriculum Integration
Strategically aligning professional learning with district-adopted curriculum resources to ensure consistent implementation and maximum instructional impact
Beechwood Elementary School: Student and Family Engagement 2016-2017
School Climate
Fostering an environment where students and families feel valued and heard, we received exceptional family feedback: "This school is absolutely amazing! Teachers are kind, attentive, and responsive to any concerns or problems"
Staff Morale
Demonstrating our extraordinary commitment to students and maintaining 95% staff attendance throughout the academic year—even after the sudden and tragic loss of our beloved fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Dill, in October of that school year. Teachers even volunteered their personal time by tutoring third graders during lunch periods and planning time
Community Support
Cultivating strategic community partnerships that delivered comprehensive support through structured after-school programs, providing essential resources for families, and implementing transformative mentorship opportunities
We didn't do it alone.
Kae Avenue Literacy Campus: Fostering Student and Family Engagement 2018
Transformative Family Engagement Initiatives
Implementing research-based programs including family literacy nights, parent-teacher collaborative workshops, and seasonal reading celebrations that strengthen the home-school connection
Creating Meaningful Learning Experiences
Facilitating structured parent-child reading activities, interactive engagement sessions, and teacher-guided literacy workshops that build lasting skills and family memories
Community Support and Volunteerism
Leveraging partnerships with local businesses, recruiting community volunteers for our "Reading Buddies" program, and establishing mentorship relationships that extend learning beyond school hours
Measurable Impact on Student Success
Celebrating the achievement of state attendance goals, increased family-school partnerships, and significant gains in reading proficiency scores across all grade levels
Conquering the Summer Slide: Grades 1-3 Literacy Scores Soared 2-8% over Summer in 2022
Transformative Summer Literacy Initiative
Celebrating our strategic 2022 program that effectively reversed the traditional "summer slide" in reading proficiency
Exceptional Academic Growth
Highlighting the measurable improvements in comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary acquisition among our grades 1-3 students
Research-Validated Approaches
Examining the carefully implemented instructional methods and engagement techniques that produced substantial literacy gains during summer months
Book Desert Transformed: Building Home Libraries for our Scholars - Now with over 2 Million Books in our Children's Homes!
Families Empowered
Witnessing the joy of children receiving their own books and families establishing meaningful reading routines
Homes Transformed
Converting thousands of households into vibrant, literacy-rich environments for young readers
Milestone Achieved
Successfully distributing over 2 million books to 47,000 students across Columbus in the span of 2 years
Community Impact
A "book desert" refers to places where kids have very little access to age-appropriate, quality books. Why it matters: These numbers show that book deserts still deeply affect millions of kids today—just having books in the home or neighborhood is linked with better literacy and school readiness. When neighborhoods lack stores, libraries, and books, children's ability to learn to read and stay engaged from an early age is significantly undermined.
We are building a sustainable culture of reading that extends from classrooms into homes and throughout the community. By providing 5-25 books to each of our 47,000 students for their home libraries, we're shattering socio-economic roadblocks and eliminating this devastating drought in our community.
Professional Development & Community Engagement